Letter to the editor

New Minnesota Child Passenger Safety Law

Minnesota’s car seat law changed as of August 1, 2024.  According to the new guidelines, children from birth to at least two years old are required to be properly restrained in a rear-facing infant or convertible child safety seat with an internal harness. Children who are at least two years old AND have outgrown the rear-facing seat with internal harness by height or weight should be in a forward-facing child seat with an internal harness. Children who are four years old AND have outgrown the forward-facing seat with internal harness by height or weight must ride restrained in a booster seat using the lap belt and shoulder belt. Children who are nine years old or have outgrown the booster seat AND the child can pass the 5 Step Test:

1. The safety belt fits correctly when the child sits all the way back against the vehicle seat.

2.  Their knees bend comfortably over the edge of the vehicle seat, with their feet flat on the floor.

3. The lap belt fits snugly across the hips near the top of the thighs, not on the stomach or abdomen.

4. The shoulder belt snugly crosses the center of the chest and shoulder, not the neck.

5. The child sits correctly without slouching for the entire ride.

Additionally, children under 13 years old must sit in the back seat if possible. If a child falls into more than one category, then the child must be placed in the safer restraint for them. For example, a child who is 2 ½  years old and weighs 35 pounds but has a car seat with a rear-facing limit of 40 pounds must stay rear-facing even though they are over two years old. It’s very important for parents and caregivers to always read their car seat and vehicle owners’ manuals for proper installation.

In Minnesota crashes from 2019 to 2023, preliminary figures show:

• Of the 12,827 children ages 0-7 properly restrained, 89 percent were not injured. Another 10 percent sustained only minor injuries.

• 20 children ages 0-7 were killed in motor vehicles. Of those, only 10 were known to be properly secured.

• Of the 81 children (ages 0-7) seriously injured in motor vehicles, only 44 percent were known to be properly secured.

Remember to be an attentive driver, always buckle up, always secure your children in the proper restraint for their age, height and weight.  Remember to have your children sit in the back seat when possible.   

Chief David Thompson

Howard Lake Police Department

Chair of the Safe Communities of Wright County Board